Chrysanthemum plant named &#39;Grace Time Sunny&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new variety of chrysanthemum plant named ‘Grace Time Sunny,’ having a good uniform canopy of yellow quill single flowers with a light green disc. The new variety has a medium vigor and a uniform spreading habit with a good foliage presentation.

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.60/524,738, filed Nov. 20, 2003.

LATIN NAME OF THE GENUS AND SPECIES

Botanical classification: Chrysanthemum morifolium.

VARIETY DENOMINATION

The new Chrysanthemum variety denomination is ‘Grace Time Sunny.’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar ofChrysanthemum botanically known as Chrysanthemum morifolium, andreferred to by the variety name ‘Grace Time Sunny.’

‘Grace Time Sunny,’ identified as 20911-34, was discovered as a wholeplant mutation found in a controlled cultivated planting of the variety‘Grace Time Pink’ (U.S. Plant Patent Application Ser. No. 60/524,339).The new variety ‘Grace Time Sunny’ has been asexually reproduced byvegetative cuttings in Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom and thedistinguishing characteristics are retained through successivegenerations of asexual reproduction.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

‘Grace Time Sunny’ is a pot type of Chrysanthemum plant variety havingyellow quill, single flowers.

Comparison with Parent

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Grace Time Sunny’ are similarto the parent ‘Grace Time Pink’ in plant habitat and growth rate. Inside-by-side comparisons in Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom,under commercial practice, plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety‘Grace Time Sunny’ compared to plants of the parent ‘Grace Time Pink’ inthe following characteristics.

1. The new variety ‘Grace Time Sunny’ produces yellow quill singleflowers whereas the parent ‘Grace Time Pink’ produces purple quillsingle flowers.

2. Plants of the new variety ‘Grace Time Sunny’ have similarinflorescence to the plants of the parent ‘Grace Time Pink.’

Comparison with Other Varieties

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Grace Time Sunny’ aredissimilar to the variety ‘Safari Time Golden’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No.15,133) in plant habitat and growth rate. In side-by-side comparisons inChichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom, under commercial practice,plants of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Grace Time Sunny’ differed fromplants of the variety ‘Safari Time Golden’ in the followingcharacteristics.

1. The new variety ‘Grace Time Sunny’ produces yellow quill singleflowers whereas ‘Safari Time Golden’ produces golden yellow quill spoontip single flowers.

2. Plants of the new variety ‘Grace Time Sunny’ have smaller and shorterinflorescence than plants of ‘Safari Time Golden.’

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATION

Typical specimens of the plant and flowers for the new Chrysanthemumvariety ‘Grace Time Sunny’ are shown in the accompanying digitalphotograph. The colors shown are as true as possible within the usuallimits of this kind of illustration. FIG. 1 is a whole plant view of thenew variety ‘Grace Time Sunny’ grown in a pot. The plant shown in theillustration is 58 days from the commencement of Short Days.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following description of the new Chrysanthemum variety ‘Grace TimeSunny’ is of plants grown in a greenhouse in Chichester, West Sussex,United Kingdom in the month of September. The cultivar has not beenobserved under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype mayvary significantly with variations in the environment such astemperature, length of day and light intensity, without any variance ingenotype. The commercial classification of the new variety is a potChrysanthemum.

Plants of the new variety have been grown successfully under temperatureconditions averaging about 19° C. at night and about 17° C. to 24° C.during the day under light conditions of about 5,000 to 6,000 footcandles. The plants respond well to the use of growth retardant, such asone B9 treatment at about 2 gm per liter. To produce a commercialproduct the plants may be pinched once with the center bud removed. Thetypical container size for commercial growth is 1 liter. It has beenobserved that the shelf life of the new variety is about 21 days with aresponse time of about 7.5 weeks. The new variety is suitable for growthin a temperature range of 15° C. to 25° C.

The new variety may be produced as a spray. The following description iswith respect to a plant produced as pot. In the description of this newChrysanthemum variety, color values have been taken from The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.C.C.).

PLANT

-   Plant type: Pot.-   Habit: Upright and free branching.-   Height: 22 cm.-   Width: 32 cm.-   Stem:    -   -   Length (cm).—5.        -   Diameter (cm).—0.8.        -   Texture.—slightly pubescent.        -   Color.—139C.-   Branching characteristics: upright and free branching.-   Lateral branches:    -   -   Length (cm).—14.        -   Diameter (cm).—0.6.        -   Texture.—slightly pubescent.-   Number of breaks from pinch: 5 to 7.-   Response time: 52 days.-   Vigor: Medium.-   Shelf life: 21 days.-   Life of blooms: 21 days.-   Disease (susceptibility or resistance): None observed.-   Pest (susceptibility or resistance): None observed.-   Drought or temperature resistance: None observed.-   Growth retardant type and treatment: 3 applications of 2.5 gm/liter    B9 @ 2, 21 and 28 days after sticking of unrooted cuttings. The    plants were grown for 2 weeks in Long Day conditions (20 hours of    light) and then transferred to Short Day conditions (13 hours of    dark).-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—vegetative Propagation via Stem Cuttings.        -   Time to rooting.—14 days with soil temperatures of 18° C.        -   Rooting habit.—after 7 days the first roots emerge and form            root primordia. In 14 Long Days a complete root system is            developed.

FOLIAGE

-   Number of leaves per lateral branch: 8 to 12.-   Compound or single: Single.-   Arrangement of leaves: Alternate.    -   -   Shape of leaf.—Typically 5 lobed.        -   Size of leaf.—Width (cm): 4.5 Length (cm): 9.        -   Leaf apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Obtuse.        -   Attachment.—petioled.        -   Aspect.—Slightly Undulating.        -   Margin.—Palmately lobed.        -   Surface characteristics.—Top: Slightly Pubescent Bottom:            Pubescent.-   Petiole:    -   -   Color.—139B.        -   Length.—1.3 cm.        -   Diameter (cm).—0.2.-   Venation:    -   -   Color.—upper side: 138B underside: 138C.-   Color:    -   -   Mature leaf, upper side.—near 137C; under side: near 138A.        -   Young leaf, upper side.—near 137A; under side: near 138A.

FLOWER

-   Flower appearance: Matte.-   Flower type: Single quill.-   Flower form: Slightly cupped.-   Flower shape: Circular.-   Flowering habit: Cyme.-   Number of blossoms per branch: 5.-   Typical and observed flowering season: January to December.-   Inflorescence form: Cyme.    -   -   Depth of fully expanded blossoms.—1.5 cm.        -   Diameter of fully expanded blossoms.—5 cm.-   Phyllaries:    -   -   Number.—18.        -   Color.—138A.        -   Length.—0.7 cm.        -   Width.—0.2 cm.        -   Texture/Appearance.—Pubescent.-   Peduncle:    -   -   Length (cm).—13.        -   Diameter (cm).—0.5.        -   Angle from stem (degrees).—10.        -   Color.—138B.        -   Surface.—Pubescent.        -   Habit.—Slightly undulating.        -   Strength.—Strong.-   Pedicel:    -   -   Length.—terminal: 3 cm; lateral: 4 cm.        -   Diameter (cm).—0.2.        -   Color.—138B.        -   Surface.—Pubescent.        -   Habit.—Slightly undulating.        -   Strength.—medium.-   Ray forets:    -   -   Form/Shape.—Straight and cylindrical.        -   Texture/Appearance.—matte.        -   Number per flower.—40.        -   Length.—2.5 cm Width: 0.4 cm.        -   Apex.—Rounded.        -   Base.—Tapered.        -   Margin.—Entire.-   Disc florets:    -   -   Form/Shape.—Cylindric.        -   Texture/Appearance.—Shiny.        -   Number per flower.—192.        -   Length.—0.5 cm; Width: 0.1 cm.        -   Diameter of disc.—1.2 cm.-   Fragrance: none observed.-   Flower bud (at onset of color):    -   -   Length.—1 cm.        -   Diameter.—0.7 cm.        -   Form/shape.—Globular.-   General flower color:    -   -   1. Ray florets, upper side.—Immature: near 5A and 5C Mature:            near 5B and 5C Older/Fading: near 6C and 5C.        -   2. Ray florets, under side.—Immature: near 5C Mature: near            5C Older/Fading: near 5D.        -   3. Disc florets.—Immature: near 151A Mature: near 151B            Older/Fading: near 151B.        -   4. Bud.—5A Flower progression with age: There is no change            with the flower form, but there is a slight color fading            with age.

REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS

-   Gynoecium present on ray and disc florets.-   Ray florets per individual flower: Pistillate.    -   -   Pistil number.—40.        -   Stigma color.—154A.        -   Style color.—154B.        -   Style length (cm).—0.3.-   Disc florets per individual flower: Pistillate.    -   -   Pistil number.—90.        -   Stigma color.—154A.        -   Style color.—154B.        -   Style length (cm).—0.3.-   Androecium: None observed.-   Fruit and seeds: None observed.

1. A new and distinct variety of Chrysanthemum plant, substantially asdescribed and illustrated herein.